‘We’re struggling’: Minister’s viral remark bares Karnataka’s financial strain

“If there were no guarantees, these issues would not have been a major problem. Everything could have been sorted out easily. We too have to run the government. Everything should be done as per budgetary allocation. It’s not that we don’t want to help you,” he told a delegation of disabled people.

The comments attracted criticism from the JD(S), which said the minister “publicly acknowledged that the state government has gone bankrupt”. The Opposition party contended that the treasury was empty and developmental activities had come to a standstill in the state.

This is the second time in as many weeks that Karnataka government finances have come under the scanner. During the special session of the legislature, the D K Shivakumar-led government found itself in a spot of bother after a Cabinet note revealed that new big-ticket announcements were not feasible due to financial constraints.